If you have just spent a few hundred pounds, or perhaps even a few thousand pounds on a piece of leather furniture, you will want to do your best to keep your new purchase in good condition. When it comes to leather products, care is very important, and there are many methods by which you can clean the leather.

In this article we look at ways to keep your leather products in good condition for years to come.

Leather is a naturally tough material. It is hard-wearing and strong, but this does not mean it shouldn't be treated with care. Even the toughest surfaces require maintenance. Often, the prevention is cheaper and more effective than the cure. This is true for leather, so for more practical items like car seats (in particular the back seats where the kids sit), consider buying leather covers for the seats to protect them from wear and tear of shoes, and sticky items such as sweets, drinks and ice cream.

If it is too late and your leather product has already been marked or stained somehow, it's time to break out the rubber gloves and sponge. Apply a moisturising soap (or industry specialist product like saddle soap used to clean horse saddles) to the affected area and gently rub with a sponge or damp cloth. Repeat as necessary to remove the mark and then polish with a dry cloth. Doing this regularly will prevent the build up of dirt and keep the material looking polished and new. Quite often, dirt can accumulate without you noticing, so make a conscious effort to clean your leather every week.

As leather cleaning products forms part of a huge industry, there are numerous products available on market for cleaning all different types of leather goods. Specialist cleaners exist but more often than not, a moisturising cleaning soap and some elbow grease is all that is required for the best results.

Companies like Fantas-tak offer leather wipes for cleaning pen marker residue, biro ink and other marks from leather products which is great for creating a clean, polished finish on your leather. This is good for providing a finish but ultimately, cleaning the leather regularly is the best way to ensure it lasts a long time.